Celestron Power Tank Issues

[Andy ES]

Hi

Has anyone got any suggestions regarding how to sort out this  problem please...

My Power Tank (like the one in the photo) is 3 years old and has performed well and has always held its charge and I have charged it regularly. I.e. I have been using it in the same way over the time I’ve had it.

Today I went to use it and it was completely dead and would not start. (Can’t remember when it was last charged)

I’ve  had it on charge all day but it it still won’t start when I try to switch it on. There are also no indicator lamps on while the charger is plugged in.

I checked the charger has a 16v output.

I don’t think the light has been left on to discharge it fully and I don’t think it’s been idle enough to just decay to zero charge.

Not sure if there is anything that can be done to get it to power up or accept a charge?

I’m assuming I will have to shell out for a new one.

If that is the case are there any better options? Looking back this one was crazy expensive.

The battery is used to power a Celestron CPC925 and a heated dew shield.

Thanks for any suggestions

PS I hold my hands up accept I may have been a complete numpty and killed it through charging miss management, but it doesn’t feel like i’ve used it any differently.

 

From FLO web site:

“Advantages of Celestron’s LiFePO4 Battery

Powered by Celestron's Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery, PowerTank Lithium Pro is smaller, lighter, and safer than sealed lead acid batteries. The technology is also more environmentally-friendly since it does not use toxic heavy metals.

PowerTank Lithium Pro’s LiFePO4 chemistry holds up to 2000 charge cycles and has an un-recharged shelf life of up to 10 years. That means you won’t have to remember to recharge your battery every few months like with a sealed lead acid battery. Its 17-hour capacity and lack of maintenance make PowerTank Lithium Pro the ideal choice for an emergency kit. Store one in your home, your garage, and even your office.”

 

From Celestron Technical Support:

“Thank you for contacting Celestron.

Although the Celestron powertanks may last beyond the 2 year warranty period, we have no way of troubleshooting a unit when it has gone beyond the 2 year period and is no longer working to the specification.

We do not repair our powertanks, generally, when they fail, within the 2 year warranty, they are replaced by new units, that have never been used before.

Due to potential safety issues, we can only recommend that you use the unit until it expires completely, then discard it in a safe manner.

Thank you so much.

Celestron Technical Support

 

Although the Celestron powertanks may last beyond the 2 year warranty period, - I would have hoped they would have said should instead of may ! ☹️

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Andy ES
Added FLO & Celestron info